Cannot cope with neighbours drainage !

[simmsc]

Hi, wonder if anyone can help.
I live in a semi-detached property and my neighbours rainwater drains into my downpipe and into a soakaway in the ground immediately in front of my lounge window in my front garden. I have persistant problems with damp on the wall immediately by the soakaway.
I dont think the soakaway can cope with the amount of water being dumped into it .
Am I legally able to cut my neighbours rainwater out of the equation and re-route my guttering to the drain serving my kitchen/appliance water waste at the back of my property so as not to use the soakaway at all?
Basically am I able to install a guttering system that only serves my house and not my neighbours? (i would tlak to him about this first mind you!)

Any advice or guidance would be greatly appreciated

[seanandruby]

You need to discuss it with your neighbour and come up with a solution between you both. if you chop his water escape you would end up in the courts, no dobt. your household waste shold be going to a foul drain. Are you sure there is a soakaway that close to your property? it should be 5 metres away.

[simmsc]

Thank you for the reply, I thought chopping his guttering would be highly illegal! And yes the waste does go into the foul drain-would the rainwater go into the same drain or the other drain?
The shared down pipe comes down my outside wall and straight into a hole a foot square in my front garden which is just concrete, so Im guessing this is not a soakaway then?
I appreciate your help on this..

[seanandruby]

not into the foul run, into the storm drain " the other one. " sounds like a gully it goes into. the pipe from there should go to a soakaway, or a storm water manhole.

[matt h]

Probably find your run off is blocked. try clearing it from your manhole cover end. if it does run to a soakaway it could be silted up and you will need to get the big boys in:( costs should be shared with your neighbour though if he shares the same down pipe

[simmsc]

Many thanks for both your help, its much appreciated.